Legendary roboticist Red Whittaker is a professor who splits his time between teaching future engineers at Carnegie Mellon and owning/operating a working cattle farm in rural Pennsylvania. With a crack team of former students, he co-founded Astrobotic because he believes robots are the best solution for exploring remote, harsh environments -- from nuclear disaster zones to the moon.

Founded by an ad hoc group of part-timers, this Berlin-based GLXP team plans to open source its mission data. Team leader Robert Böhme, who was raised in the former East Germany, says the free exchange of information is ultimately more important than money.

ON March 14, 2016 12:30 PM Moon Shot | Episode 3 | India: Team Indus

Deepana Gandhi dreamed of a career in math/science, but she grew up in rural India where women aren't typically afforded the same opportunities as men. After struggling to find a job, Deepana eventually landed at Indus in Bangalore, where she works on the equations necessary for navigating to the moon.

When the 2011 tsunami decimated Japan's Pacific coast, robotics Professor Kazuya Yoshida and his family were lucky to escape harm's way. Understanding that it's only a matter of time before an even greater natural disaster strikes, the professor wants his rovers to explore the lunar caves, which could provide a suitable location for future human settlements that will help preserve our species.

When Naveen Jain moved from India to the U.S., he was a poor university student with an uncertain future and a hunch that anything is possible. Decades later, after becoming a successful Internet entrepreneur, he co-founded Moon Express to help find a solution to the world's energy crisis.

ON March 14, 2016 12:30 PM Moon Shot | Episode 7 | Israel: Space IL

One of the last teams to enter the GLXP, SpaceIL was co-founded by Yariv Bash, whose grandfather's life was tragically altered by the Holocaust. Inspired by his grandfather's work as an engineer, Bash hopes SpaceIL's efforts to build cool new technology will encourage others, including his young son, to improve the world for future generations.

9-year-old Jana González turned to playing videogames after her parent's divorce. As her love of playing games evolved into programming them, she soon discovered robotics and joined an all-girl team competing in the Moonbots, a worldwide robotics competition for kids.

ON March 14, 2016 12:30 PM Moon Shot | Episode 9 | Race for the Prize

For nearly a decade, people around the world have been racing to The Moon as part of the Google Lunar X-PRIZE, a $30 million contest. Developing an array of new technologies for landing and exploring the lunar surface, these private teams are making big strides and sacrifices to chase their dream of reaching the moon!

After the pico-sat antenna's showed good deployment capability, comes tests of the performance both (sat's and ground station) antennas. All communications recorded on the mission control web site.

Testing the Universal Paste Extruder for 3D printers(http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:20733), liquid paste works perfectly. Evaporation of the water on a heated table will allows to have small layers. A paste (less water in the mixture) needs to be adjusted.

ON FEBRUARY 10, 2014 10:35 PM Antenna and RF comm on one PCB. Mold inserts. Thermo-stabilizer

The antenna (a flat helical kind of version), and the RF part are printed on the same PCB. Verification are planned -

- mechanics of the antenna's deployment (done on Saturday) ;

- the antenna performance;

- all functionality - all RF ampl, BT front-end, and antenna itself;

- vibration tests (integrated into a pico-sat).

Inserts into the mold for printing messages (finally showed up from New-York, the record Christmas delivery). One insert creates one message on the surface of the wheel of the lunar rover. Message will be printed on lunar dust during rover movements.

First insert - First name - a teacher of physics from mining town Donetsk- Борц Илья Яковлевич.

There are limitations what we can choose as manufacturing facility for rover's parts. Best solution is to make parts in-house, but that require metallurgy and 3D printing at hand. Measuring strength of alloys is one of "must be" part.

That can save tremendous weight (40kg instead of 250kg, with price around 2,000,000$), but data for trans GSO orbits (TLE) are not available to us. As a result it is hard to do any real estimations, speculations only. If somebody can share information about any past samples (preferable 3-4) of trans GTO orbits, we can be really appreciated for such data. Many thanks for Alexander Mikhailov for a tip about GSO orbits.

Engineer who had made a mistake in design of complex systems, with a technical vital parameter twice less than was required, probably will not be an engineer again.

Best engineers, designers, advisers, economists, managers, did the design of Space Shuttle's system with one of vital requirements - to reduce costs. On the first flight it was calculated to be 5000$ per 1kg on the orbit, at time of full fleets readiness - 1000$, and at year 2000 it should be 100$ per 1 kilogram of payload on Low Earth Orbit. Space shuttle retired, and closest business "SpaceX" asked (in 2011) from Team PlanB about 180,000$ per 1 kg on LEO.

Paradox - engineers who reached The Moon got wrong in the vital parameter of the system 1000 times, not just twice.

"where is the difference?".

Question is interesting from a practical point to find the solution- If for this invisible structure, with antimatter inside, will be interest to make any deal, then path to the moon will be opened again.

In past was proved practical way to check strength of the encryption algorithms by setting the challenger via offering money for attempts to break encryption key.

I.e. see old "RSA factoring challenge" with prices up 100,000$ per breaking of algorithms used in HTTPS protocols.

We did set first challenger for our TOTAL encryption as 10 Lunar == 2030$. And nobody was able to decrypt message in 1.5 month in a case when source code was in open-source domain. It mean that strength of our satellite communication encryption is higher than 2000$. Let's do check again, but now with 100 Lunaro sterlings, which is equal to 20,000$.

Decrypt published message before November 10, 2013 and get that money.

Details, source code are on https://github.com/alexdobrianski/TOTAL_ENCRYPTION

Music, molds, coins, wheels, all was 3D printed. But it is not enough to reach The Moon. Essential to have a software and more important - people who will debug invisible sequence of bytes, stored in floating gates, insulated all around by an oxide layer, of metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors.

Correct decryption, first, provided before 10 October, 2013 == 10 Lunaro Sterlings award (2020USD www.lunarosterling.com).
Deciphered text send via e-mail to adobri@shaw.ca with subject "Encryption Challenge. Prize" and one line of deciphered text.
Available -
- source code: https://github.com/alexdobrianski/TOTAL_ENCRYPTION
- key file used in encryption - 111.tkey
- video used in key generation - in current clip.
- sample: text un-encrypted:
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD MEN TO COME TO THE AID OF THE PARTY
cipher text after encryption (same key 111.tkey used):
=400000000000000000000000584fba6e203321df73fe0c07f8fa9903d4d2c80ff0dd62ad87413cf289f5e1251d44766b9156d76495a022263be1b04fa8ab075fe8cc44b0e45a4ed60a2cb727=
after decryption:
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD MEN TO COME TO THE AID OF THE PARTY
--------
interesting article about elliptic curves :
http://www.pereplet.ru/nauka/Soros/pdf/9710_138.pdf

Correct decryption, first, provided before 10 October, 2013 == 10 Lunaro Sterlings award (2020USD www.lunarosterling.com).
Deciphered text send via e-mail to adobri@shaw.ca with subject "Encryption Challenge. Prize" and one line of deciphered text.
Available -
- source code: https://github.com/alexdobrianski/TOTAL_ENCRYPTION
- key file used in encryption - 111.tkey
- video used in key generation - in current clip.
- sample: text un-encrypted:
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD MEN TO COME TO THE AID OF THE PARTY
cipher text after encryption (same key 111.tkey used):
=400000000000000000000000584fba6e203321df73fe0c07f8fa9903d4d2c80ff0dd62ad87413cf289f5e1251d44766b9156d76495a022263be1b04fa8ab075fe8cc44b0e45a4ed60a2cb727=
after decryption:
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD MEN TO COME TO THE AID OF THE PARTY
--------
interesting article about elliptic curves :
http://www.pereplet.ru/nauka/Soros/pdf/9710_138.pdf

[transcript]
Let's talk today about Lunaro Sterling Coin,which we think can lift Team PlanB, and not only us, to the moon.
If you look closely on "Space progress" in past 60-70 years, what you can see is milestones and breakthroughs were achieved by space enthusiasts like Goddard, Tsiolkovsky, Von Braun, Korolev.
Even today not many people will assign their life, and devote efforts for goals like making Mars habitable for human kind, or to build "space villages", capable to fly to other stars.
Theoretical calculations and stipulations, can be met with low resources. But practical implementation like building controllable explosions to propel payloads into the orbit, requires high resources.
At present and as it was in the last 60 years, nobody will vote -- "pro", to send chunk of money to the sky. The same chunk of money that is equivalent to building a small city.
But each action creates an opposite reaction in this universe, and such practical obstacle, as resources, century ago enthusiasts by-passed them with a smart move.
They promised for men with chevrons on shoulders to deliver dangerous payloads to any place on the globe by simple press of a button.
This decoy in goal worked for enthusiasts. And because of that they were employed, and each minute, every moment, when men in uniform was busy with nasty toys, enthusiasts use this opportunity to reach different targets - to build bigger rocket engine, launch satellite, that left their mark in space, on the moon.
Then, enthusiasm died. "Space progress" has killed the enthusiasm as reaction to massive "action".
Imagine: if the data from "Curiosity rover" would be available to Von Braun and Korolev. Such knowledge will deter any enthusiastic curiosity, because they would see human life on mars an impossible goal.
What choice do enthusiasts have today?,At best, probably, to make a movie. (As we do it now ) It can be done in color, in 3D, better be by a famous film director. And the movie can be watched in Dolby sound, together with popcorn, or on a smart phone on the way to work. Making it perfect sustainable approach.
What else? Crowd-sourcing? On Kikstarter, only one Google Lunar XPRIZE project was funded: "to write the article about the Lunar Google XPRIZE competition", and all other 3 technology-related projects did not reach funding level.
The National Space Agency and military will not support space enthusiasts. In the National Space agency, where enthusiasts are greeted with smile all and every time? Military is satisfied with their "status quo" - they are happy with their offset contracts and support of last century weapons technology.
Skip the business. Business usually interested in cheap "leftover" from space technologies. Even the mining industry with a 10-20 years return of investments period, hesitates to be involved.
It is common sense - if one wants to do something in The Space - it is just, their own problem.
It is essential to invent some independent mechanism to fund "Space devotees", to fund what people can create outside of the Earth surface.
In Team PlanB, we have made our attempt - it is Lunaro Sterling Coin.
First, it is merchandise. We can sell it, the same way as we sell t-shirt.
Second, as a coin, it is valued. It is made from silver. After each 2000 prints, a new design will be made to satisfy criteria: less mintage - more numismatic value.
Third, each coin has a certificate of authenticity provided online. The person owning the coin can set anonymous authentication by himself/herself. The owner of the coin can be changed only by providing such authentication.
More importantly the coin can be used as a barter payments, for service and equipment, outside the Earth surface.
It is similar to the crowd-sourcing approach, but it also keeps doors open for other funding possibilities. Instead of shares investor can purchase coins.
Truly speaking, IT IS "Space money".
In all regulations and laws, it is treated as merchandise. Merchandise on which taxes are paid. Merchandise that cannot can not be prohibited, in any part of the globe, to act as barter's payments for anything not belonging to this world. It is intended to be more than just circulating money, or payment method in Space.
It is designed to lift-off the technology from the earth surface.
"Space money" that does not have national boundaries, and takes advantage on the fact that space does not belong to any national jurisdiction.
The owners of the coins have the power to decide, how, and at what price to sell "Lunaro Sterling"
Team PlanB is ready to share "Lunaro Sterling Coin" design and authentication process with "Space devotees / Space enthusiasts" all over the world.
We do this because we think this is logical, innovative, effective, and “cool” approach to fund space enthusiasts.
What will happen if "Space devotees/ enthusiasts" fail to achieve their objectives and not reach their stars? Well, it will be nothing new in this world. However the coins, will tell the story.
Other updates for last week – communication protocol was ongoing project, (you can visit Github to see and download updates).
RF noise pattern recognition was on hold.
RF Front end prototype for GPS and Galileo system was obtained to develop and to debug positioning software.
Also on Github you can find 3d mold for wheel central holder.
It should be combined technology some elements of the mold (precision) will be made from alumini plastic, some (expendable) from PVA.
We look forward to seeing you again.

2.4 communication protocol implementation to be continued. If Implementation "as a Modem" is not good - to bad for implementation - source code was to be cut. Lunaro sterling coins database and web interface mock-up. Small program to detect noise patterns in RF. That's it for a past 1.5 week.

Packets transferred between microprocessors can be noisy, data can be lost. To recover from errors in header of the packet was added double unit address. Last byte in a packet can be skipped. Re transmit of the data to different micro-unit implemented on interrupt level.

Communication module do not work "like-modem" anymore. For upload data over radio-link in a packet was introduced CMD*. After CMD* rest of the packet transfer ether back to serial com (if no connection) or to the other communication module. CMD= extended to re transmit data to a another micro-unit.

GPS has a bad reception in concrete building. That creates problems in debugging GPS data processing inside main controller, - needs to take laptop and go outside.

Another SMD device able to retrieve raw GPS/GLOSNAT data was discovered - SE4110L. Without limitations on traveling speed and altitude. Device outputs data after ADC conversion. All data has to be processed in micro controller. Disadvantage - industrial temperature range.

Another alternative to GPS/GLOSSNAT was investigated but it is premature to say anything now - needs to process captured digitized data.

For proper functionality of Mission Control web site, Ground Station’s software, Ground Station’s microcontrollers, communication modules on ground station and on CubeSat, needs to synchronize clocks and timers on all devices. That process can be done in hardware. Software implementation of the process, has it is own challenges, but can bring advantages like ability to get orbit parameters.

In software development exist rule - if source code working from the beginning - that mean only one -- something wrong with a source code.
Such excitement discovery was made last week by Alex -- he was wondering why main computer board starts to function right away, but 3.3 voltage regulator during last month was overheated like boiling water -- well it was simple 6 SMD components was soldered upside-down. Current was 180 milliamps, instead of 18. Fix was quick -- it takes 10 minutes to rework PCB, but positive part is components was chosen properly - all 6 SMDs was working perfectly after 1 month stress.

Integration continue on GPS and Camera. HD Camera waiting it turn together with Orbitcomm backup communication modem. Integration at the rest of the week was not a full scale SNAFU, which was bothered Alex little bit.
And finally -- all 3D printed parts for a rover and ground station showed up last Friday. Some imperfections was fixed - like this on a HD camera sealed box, or on camera box -- probably the thickness of a wall (target == made from carbon fiber) will be OK, but for rover testing (that part additionally to a camera box functionality will be used as a leg for a movement) plastic is not strong enough.
For reduced size ground station tubes was made from aluminum, and assembly was in a progress

a) Rover as moon rover - it is a "virtual rover". Exists in 3D model formats. Majority parts has to be made from carbon fiber. To make each (carbon fiber) part need to design molds, and to print molds from PVA (like this) on a 3D printer (like that). Today we know that on that printer, to make all molds, and to make all carbon fiber frames (like this), with "space capable to fly" epoxy (like this) it is require total 45 days. That is why we named that moon rover as a "virtual one". Before arrangements of the flight to the moon, it is not practical to spend time and efforts to build such device. Only demonstration can be a purpose for rush, to build a "virtual rover".

b) Rover as a ground station for a test flight. That is exactly same rover but designed to operate on the earth surface. In this case it is not require use of carbon fiber. Same parts can be made from less strong plastic.

c) Compact version of a rover. It is not a rover truly speaking -- it looks like regular ground station, but parts for such configuration is exactly same as in configuration (b). That compact version also is for a debugging software purposes. Configuration (b) and (c) has totally different mechanical properties, but software which will control 4 stepper motors in first configuration and 2 steppers motors in second configuration, must be the same, software should be self adaptable for such different mechanical configuration, to perform task for orientation the antenna to a moving target -- flying cubesat.

Plus convenience to use 3D printing on factory allows, to separate process of design and manufacturing, make ground station on 2.4Ghz for a cubesat repeatable, and, who knows!, can allow to support main project by taking orders to build 2.5 GHz ground stations. Parts can be ordered on next week via shapeways factory.

Antenna will be regular helix (like this one), or reduced size helix (like that one). Reduced size helix has major advantages -- 3D print is twice less expensive than regular helix; different winding of a conductor allows to reduce interference of two transmitters working on the same frequency at the same time, which is important in a case of constellation of cubesats flying together.

Ground station electronics and software. The same main processor board for ground station (like this) is reused from a cubesat main processor board. Last week was done integration of a board with mission control, today mission control can operate flash memory and main computer commands. Some improvements was done on simulation of a flight, and session data visualization.

Last week was spent in redesign of a rover and ground station. It was done by three main reasons –

a) ground station needs to be build and 3D models for 3D printer has to be finalized.
b) clearance of a rover needs to be increased.
c) needs to increase solar power harvesting surface.
In old design on frame was mounts for flexible solar panels (cells).
each cell has size 25.4 x 63.5 mm = 16 square centimeters.
length (long side )of the frame was 600mm, that gives a place for 23 panels with total surface of 0.037m^2
two frames allows to use 4 times more - total 92 cells, or total .14 m^2
with efficiency of 0.09(9%) and power of a sun per square meter = 1000Wt surface can give 13.35 watt total.
Top side of a rover can harvest some energy, but at the same time bottom did not, it is in shadow – outcome power probably is half == 6 watts.
Solar panels mounted on frame with 45 degree angle.
Problem (b) frame is not flexible, in can stuck on terrain - as a result needs to increase clearance.
Second problem (c) - needs to increase harvesting power surface. (6 watt capable source with 40% efficiency of a 10 watt transmitter, means that transfer of data can be done only in 1 minutes with another 3 minutes 20 seconds waits to harvest the energy.
Flexible solar panel side is 63.5 mm. Assuming it is hypotenuse - that geometrically gives in prime triangle with 45 degree angle, side sizes 45+45mm – which is bigger that original 63mm.
Sizes of each cell will be smaller (like 25.4 mm x 44.9 mm) but on same frame now it is 46 cells with 0.052 m^2.
On 2 frames can be placed 4 groups of 46 cells, calculating same efficiency and same Sun’s power, that surface allows to harvest total 18.8 watt.
Same top-bottom and max outcome power is 9 watt. That is better, than previous design, and it mean == 1 minutes to transmit + 2 minutes to harvest.
Placing additional 2 stand (length 0.5m) which can hold 19x4 = 76 small size panels outcome additional 0.17m^2 with total power 15wt (and half of tit is 7wt). Gives the grand total is 34wt from all surfaces, and halfing gives max s 17 watt power. Which is not bad – on top of each minute to transmit it will require 35 seconds to harvest.
Now the question where to place that two stands. Plus needs to balance weight- i.e - 350grams for each 4 stepper motor, but gear motors can be reduced to have less torque. That can save around 50-100 grams on a motors in favor for stands. Reducing clearance makes smaller dimensions and also saves weight.
Total amount solar cell (sizes 45x25mm) to accommodate on rover today is 168. With weight limit of 400 grams for all system it is 2.3 grams per flexible cell including weights of holders and mounts. Plus needs to account that after 3 week flight cells will lost 1/2 of it power capability. Realistically it will be 8 watt of power at best.
That is a theory – up today Ground station's 3D models probably ready to be ordered, but rover's energy harvesting mounts not finalized yet.

ON MAY 06, 2013 11:41 AM One checkbox implementation in web interface

One checkbox implementation in mission control web interface - real-time data for orientation vectors for ground station antenna. == Same xml file used for visualization of a CubeSat trajectory, also used to feed antenna control.
.
TRA application now can accept data in XML format from a remote, dynamically created "initial" position, and post results of trajectory calculations back to the same or even different server. That future allows to calculate trajectory and engines firing time in parallel via distributed calculations network. Probably the same mechanism can be used in screen saver app.
details on http://www.adobri.com/SatCtrlR.aspx

Also suggested to watch perfect video about design and manufacturing of a Apollo computer (MIT). My favorite part are buttons on the front panel. Video finally made available on youtube last year.
Enjoy:

And the trajectory of the flight path missed the lunar surface in the direct flight. This occurred because of insufficient third (main) impulse, and the Prob did not reach the 11/10 distance the Moon's orbit. Rules are - miss direct flight to the celestial body == and satellite will fly in space forever.
Animation made from sequences of a jpeg files produced in tra.exe run. TRA.EXE runs independently (may be on different computer(s) ) and produce jpeg in a projection of a two axes –XY/XZ/YZ, but it is also can output xml file with current positions of sun-earth-moon and polylines of a trajectories (sun-moon-earth-satellites), all what I need is visualization. Java is ok – I do not think it will be strong requirements to install java+java3D on computers running ground stations. From page

For sure if it is possible to do visualization without java but with scalable vector graphics – in that case I can dump java applets and use Jscript. Attached .xml files with samples of coordinates. Also need to use textures (maps of earth/moon) and lights to have a realistic of day/night line – otherwise without lights it is complicated to modify textures on a fly. I like link http://workshop.chromeexperiments.com/globe-search/ but I do not think it will be millions of the users interested in visualization of a GPS satellite position and trajectory calculations/visualization. For a nice representation of a flight path l would prefer to make a screen's saver with dynamic animation (length 1 min max) and with changing view angle on each run. In that case screen's saver can become a useful tool – running on hundreds/thousands computers and picking up from server values for possible trajectory (like - one computer tries one ranges of impulses, another computer tries another set – you know - distributed calculations). With java I can easily do this – switch from the applet to the application, but what about Jscript and SWG?

Now about MySQL and Lunaro – Today I know how to do Lunaro's transactions without recording personal information – only place where personal information will be present is the session (session's variables) on the server (server is protected by HTTPS) and E-mail delivery system. I did not finalized cases of fractional payments (like 0.0015 Lunaro), and postponed delivery of coin(s) after original payment (again question is about storage/location of personal information).

If to look at BitCoins - it is a nice idea, but it is not what I have in mind. Truly speaking all mathematicians must be jealous – BitCoin is monetization of prime numbers. Next stop will be, let say, a using irrational numbers as silver, and complex numbers as gold (“ How much for a nice looking, last million digits of 3.1415..? Can I use 3.1415..+j2.7182818284… as a guaranty for home renovation loan?”). BitTorent (as distributed storage and processing) idea is not quite fit to a BitCoin/ banking system – in any transaction needs to have “trusted witness” – more servers runs, more chance for cheating. Distributed system should be used to recovery from a loss (different reasons for loss – technical, legal, etc) of the trusted servers. If MySQL can work as a clusters with all-masters mode, and with replication process done automatically, that that is exactly what it is needed.

Another problem (to be accounted) is stated on their website - BitCoins are for transaction, not for capitalization. Two nuggets of gold extracted from earth are not equivalent of two proved prime numbers (sorry four to be exact), even was used the same amount of electricity to extract/to get. If somebody uses some prime numbers, proved by a computers' calculation, and anybody can find the same prime number just by pure luck, than for sure system works when prime numbers has to be disposed regularly. If to talk about money, the capitalization needs to be solved, otherwise the scam or crush pre-programmed to the system. I think physical object needs to be used (by the way Victor’s suggestion about rare earth elements are not crazy to speak), capitalization and transaction is like potential and inertial energy in dynamic system - required for stabilization.

MARCH 05, 2013 09:11 PM Main PCB board with 3 CPU on it (including GPS).

Soldering kainda a problem - for indium alloy (In60Pb40)it is very time consuming, with indium(In60Pb40) soldering paste is less available and expensive, with indium (In100) paste is low strength (SMD components can not withstand good vibration), plus is 155C max, plus it is less sticky.
For ground station and CS prototype used Sn60Pn40. For relatively simple board process takes 2 hours for components list, 1 hour for manual paste distribution, 1 hour for placing SMD, 7 min in oven. For InPb soldering it will take around 2+6 hours.
And it will be less video from now on – next CubeSat flight software.

A lot of failures and attempts to make “2.4Ghz LNA” working, and at clear sky over Vancouver it finally done. Tests includes standard BlueTooth transmitter/receiver 1mWt (0 dBm) and second device (LNA with cascade 3x12 =36 dB, transmitter 6dBm 4mWt). “Standard 0dBm” transmitting signal needs to be picked up from 10km. At the same time “standard – receive” will be picked up from 4 km. Two persons with cell-phones call each other and confirm communication session by looking on a blinking LED. LED blinks only when proper packet was received and processed (including restoration of noisy packets from different BT and WiFi transmitters in urban environment). Noise also has to be suppressed from cell-pones stationary transmitters (on top of SFU hill and QE park at Vancouver).

Design from the beginning was successful but was not able to be proved by range tests, each time max range was 1km. Finally problem was resolved when Gregory an Boris pointed that “coaxial wire” is probably is not a “real coaxial. Impedance of wire was measured, adjustments was done, and at rainy day poaring rain brought conformation that everything is working, then on march day at clear sky over Vancouver comes conformation of range tests, 2.5km-OK; 4.km-OK;

Even to do test on 10km was not necessary. Signal received by standard BT from 6dBm was picked up on 4km, and according “rainy test” that mean antennas-amplifiers system must to pickup signal over 20km which is more than it was expected.

Old technical recording. R1
(V2/A4) replica. Events behind the film.

In part 4 of 1948 the documentary explained all failure rocket/engines/systems and then briefly mentioned successful launches. All test failure analyzed, problems and fixes recorded on film and explained in details.

Test 1. Rocket #4. Failure explained by Boris Chertok:- “I was responsible for the first crash,” declared Chernov. “At the launch site, Korolev saw me, called me over to the launch pad, and explained, ‘This missile is Soviet, but the launch pad is still German. Do you see the onboard skid contact? It starts the timer at the moment of launch. Its rod rests in a corresponding niche on the launch pad. The pad needs to be fixed so that everything will be ready by morning.’” Chernov was devising and designing all evening. He woke up the metalworkers in the middle of the night and by morning in the workshop on the special train they had produced his version of the skid contact stop, or more correctly speaking, the liftoff contact. According to Chernov’s version of the story, his student design did not withstand the powerful pop, and the contact broke after the “ignition” command rather than after the missile lifted off from the launch pad. The horizon gyro timer started ahead of time; a pitch command was sent to the control surfaces, tilting the missile immediately while it was still on the pad. As the missile was leaving the pad, the plume was pointed, not vertically, but at an angle, and it hurled the pad off into the steppe."

Test 2. Rocket #3. Failure - "The second missile proved to be even more obstinate. To begin with, the ground crews eliminated all the defects in the ground-based cable network. Next, during two launch attempts the engine did not start, despite the fact that the system did not reset. After long experiments on a missile standing on the pad, they discovered that the main oxygen valve had frozen. Eventually they removed the oxygen valve from one of the missiles and checked its ability to freeze. They determined that the cause of the failure was the stiffening of the abundant amount of oil in its bellows assembly. The missile tests were discontinued. The main oxygen valves were removed from all the missiles and sent to the factory in Khimki for degreasing. This was a powerful blow to engine designer"

After third test failure - "The high-ranking leaders had been fully convinced that we had not only studied and reproduced German technology, but had substantially increased the missiles’ reliability. And now suddenly they discovered that the missiles, for various reasons, simply refused to fly."

Event behind film - "The next missile launch scheduled for 1 November was postponed due to severe fog. During the night, the sentry guarding the launch site showed exceptional vigilance and for some unknown reason shouted, “Stop! Who goes there?” No response came out of the fog and he fired a warning shot. The guard raised by the alarm found nothing suspicious in the surrounding area. Arriving at the site the next morning, the launch team immediately smelled the strong scent of alcohol. An inspection showed that the shot the night before had not been fired into the air, but rather into the filled alcohol tank. The missile’s entire tail section was drenched with alcohol from the bullet hole. They removed the missile and shipped it to the factory in Podlipki for restoration and sent the sentry to the brig. Voznyuk was advised of the guards’ utterly unsatisfactory training."

Operator turned launch's key actually launched first satellite and first man into the space. All military personal recorded in film rest of their life was involved in space launches.

Official conclusion: “The first series of R-1 domestic missiles in terms of their flight characteristics, as demonstrated by the flight tests, were not inferior to the captured A4 missiles. Fundamental issues during the reproduction of R-1 missiles from domestic materials were correctly resolved … The flight characteristics of the first series of R-1 missiles conform to the characteristics specified by the tactical and technical requirements, with the exception of range scatter.”

Combat general statement - "What are you doing? You pour over four metric tons of alcohol into a missile. And if you were to give that alcohol to my division, they could take any city easily. And your missile wouldn’t even hit that city! Who needs it?"

All military likes alcohol! What else to say. Perfect choice made by Von Broun for space exploration!

Posted two episodes from Old Russian de-classified technical recording
video made in 1948. Was long circulated via internet. Its first customer was
Josef Stalin, and then, after, it was used as a training video. A lot of current
documentary used some parts of the video recently. Includes frames with Korolev,
Chertoc, Glushro, Barmin. In part 4 is a statement: “...V-2 type rocket was
successfully replicated from all domestic materials...”.

Video is interesting because of part 4 (in next post). At the beginning was
descriptions of all failures (rockets/engnes/etc.), then all failures analyzed
and fixes explained. At the end a small portion of a successful flights (not in
chronological order).

Technical recording. Carbon Fiber. Mold == PVA
Not much to say – was video recoded to analyze what went wrong –
(a) dimensions of a mold – PVA’s 3D printed parts are 0.3 mm tolerance and depend on a tracing process (g-code generator) it has “quantum” effects, small changes and part become 0.3mm longer. That effected round parts. Configuration for 3D printer depend on 3 stretching coefficients. Better they will be equal 1 and then in 3D model will be adjustment of dimensions.
(b) Tolerance of any dimensions has to be remover (because of the reason (a). And adjustment should be done manually.
(c) Carbon “sweater” is little bit thick especially soaked in epoxy – it takes extra pressure to insert. Distance btw walls (in main stepper motor's holder) has to be increased by 1mm.
(d) Final size for stepper motor's holders must be 0.3 mm plus.
(e) Wall for second stepper motor (camera stand/ antenna mechanism) needs to be 15mm low – mistake.
(f) No “impact adsorption” epoxy layer. Stepper motor’s mounts (on rover – not on ground station) needs to be treated by additional layer of epoxy with microspheres to accommodate impact. 203C, 10h baking will be for fully assembled frame.

Technical recording. Frame. Mold assembly. 3D printed parts. PVA.
All parts of mold was 3D printed from PVA. PVA are tricky to print, slow speed are the only choice.As a result mold consists from small parts.Need to glue parts of the mold together. With PVA glue.
But before assembly needs to dry parts - Under Vancouver's weather it is essential step. Bake parts in stove / oven under 50-60C for 1 hour, and cool down inside zip-lock bag. Last step after assembly - PVA from the glue makes mold soft. Reason - water from a glue.
To solve this (it was not recorded on video) mold needs to be placed together with 1 pound of the sugar inside zip-lock bag. Baking in oven also can help.
Now mold ready for composite manufacture -- knotted carbon fiber + epoxy will do job.

Technical recording. Frame. Mold assembly. 3D printed parts. PVA
All parts of mold was 3D printed from PVA. PVA are tricky to print, slow speed are the only choice.As a result mold consists from small parts.Need to glue parts of the mold together. With PVA glue.
But before assembly needs to dry parts - Under Vancouver's weather it is essential step. Bake parts in stove / oven under 50-60C for 1 hour, and cool down inside zip-lock bag. Last step after assembly - PVA from the glue makes mold soft. Reason - water from a glue.
To solve this (it was not recorded on video) mold needs to be placed together with 1 pound of the sugar inside zip-lock bag. Baking in oven also can help.
Now mold ready for composite manufacture -- knotted carbon fiber + epoxy will do job.

Yo-ma-Yo! What is that? Grandpa left lunar prototype wheel unattended!

Technical recording are essential part in designs process. Any time it is possible to return back and check what was done wrongly. Especially in a knotting the carbon fiber. Big knotting machines does its job in socks mass production, but individual design require something better then flat/round surface. Sweater knotted manually ideal solution, if does need more layers in specific place, - it is not a problem. Skilled hands can do what can not do big, expensive robot. Nobody has that experience better than your mom. Knotting methods has to be recorded definitely. Let name it knotting-how.

Technical Recording. Part 2.Golden Ears provincial park , BC.

Communication tests 2.4GHz.
Fist test on a maximum range with 1mWt transmitting power did not come well. Reason was obvious. Test was set over lake’s water. Adsorption by the water surface was major reason. If transmitters/receivers located 3-4m above water surface then communication was fine, but close to water more signal was lost. Another solution was to orient antennas with the angle (30-45 degree) to the surface, which reduces 2.4GHz signal adsorption by the water.
Second planned test with 30dBm (1Wt) transmitters also was planned badly. For test were used regular 1Wt amplifiers suited for wireless network. Wi-Fi networks usually uses transmitted power more than 10dBm and design for “busters” accounts that fact. Two channels in amplifier, one for transmit (1Wt) and another for receive (10-15dB) has to be switched depend on “original” Wi-Fi behavior. Switching in amplifiers tuned to strong transmitting signal. For sure 0dBm (1mWt – Bluetooth level) was not enough to switch on regular amplifier.
But weekend has successful – weather was fine, scenery was gorgeous, Golden Ears as original Gold Rush Trail is a perfect place to dig for gold, whatever definition of gold anybody has. Thank for all participants from Vancouver’s community for there support.

Team Plan B. Golden Ears, BC, Canada. Technical recording, Part 1.

That was a technical recording of last summer’s tests of a communication system 2.4GHz. Transmitting power was 0dBm (1mWt), hopping frequency allows in Canada to use up to 36dBm (4Wt) transmitter without restriction on antenna’s designs, in US it is a limit 30dBm (1Wt). Some restrictions apply on time intervals, and rules of switching channels.
On preliminary range test it was 500m no problem. Calculated range was 1000m. Was made attempt (a) to measure max distance over lake surface, (b) to measure performance using “standard” 1Wt amplifiers.
Part 1 was recorded at Golden Ears Provincial Park, over summer’s 2012 weekend, near Vancouver, BC. Sound was noisy. For Russian speaking audience – be careful with “Close Caption” on video clip – warning: laughing can be uncontrollable.
Thanks you, all participants from Team Plan B community and enjoy nice scenery of Beautiful British Columbia.